Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

Gov. Beebe’s Final Legislative Session

Completing his final legislative session as governor, Mike Beebe and others reflect on the masterful navigation of his 30-year political career.

Tolbert: 3 Republicans, 1 Democrat Seek Arkansas House Speaker’s Chair

A memo from Speaker Davy Carter today lays out the process next week for selecting the Speaker Designate. The election will take place next Wednesday, March 19 when the state…

Lawmakers Approve Budget Bills, Recess Until Wednesday

Arkansas lawmakers passed budget bills to support $5 billion in state spending in the next fiscal year. Wednesday’s short session was a formality to all of the budget proceedings that…

David Bartlett: Community Banks Face Burdens With New Regulations

David Bartlett, the author of this guest commentary, is President and Chief Banking Officer of Simmons First National Corp. and Chairman of the Arkansas Bankers Association. This article first appeared…

Marcy Doderer: Understanding The ACA And Private Option In Arkansas

Editor’s note: Marcy Doderer, Arkansas Children’s Hospital President & CEO, is the author of this guest commentary. It first appeared in the most recent magazine edition of Talk Business Arkansas,…

Cook: New Poll Shows Mark Pryor And Tom Cotton In Dead Heat

A new poll conducted by a nationally recognized polling firm shows the U.S. Senate race between Mark Pryor and Tom Cotton is a dead heat. The poll was conducted by…

Former Treasurer Shoffner Found Guilty On 14 Counts

Former Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner was found guilty on all 14 counts of bribery and extortion she was facing from federal prosecutors. Shoffner, whose jury trial began last week, was…

Great Scott! Meet Highway Commissioner-Banker Frank Scott

At every fork in the road, banker and Highway Commissioner Frank D. Scott, Jr. knows how to make a guided decision.

Tolbert: Poll Shows Cotton With 9-Point Lead Over Pryor

I imagine we will see plenty of polls between now and November, but yet another one came out today showing a strong lead for Cong. Tom Cotton over Sen. Mark…

Bond Broker In Shoffner Trial Made $2.5 Million In Commissions

As the prosecution rested its case, testimony in federal court disclosed that Steele Stephens, the bond broker who allegedly bribed former Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner with $36,000, made $2.5 million…

Party Squabbles, Party Strengths, Party Strategies

Fielding more candidates and having more contested primaries has the Arkansas GOP in new territory in modern history and experts argue if the trend could be short-lived or permanent as well as what the new dynamic may mean for the top of each political party’s ticket.

Tolbert: Saline Co. JP Creekmore Switches From Democrat To Republican

The shift in Saline County from Democrat to Republican has been amazingly rapid over the last few election cycles. Only six years ago, all county elected officials and most of…

Cook: Dustin McDaniel’s Next Run For Office Revealed

Dustin McDaniel is in his final nine months as Attorney General and political observers wonder how he plans to stay involved in politics after he leaves office. In a letter…

Brummett & Nelson: Political Action In GOP Primaries

Political columnist John Brummett and Political Animals Club President Rex Nelson said Democrats will be fighting headwinds of a Republican tide that has been dominating Arkansas for a third consecutive election cycle. They also offered their take on the U.S. Senate race.